Improvement in devices for pulling on boots



UNITED STATES PATENT GEEIGE ELISEA nwALEs, OE SOUTH EEAMINGEAM, AssieNoE To EIMSELE AND JAMES H. OOOPEE, OE NORTE BinneEwATEn, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN oEvlcEs FOR PULLING oN Boors.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 146,55 9, dated January 20,1874; application tiled4 October 2. 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELISHA L. WALEsof South Framingham, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Device for Pulling onfBoots and Shoes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of i this specication, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upper portion of a boot-leg having my improved device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an elevation representing the inner side of the same. Fig.

3 is a Section on the line no oo of Fig. 1. Fig. 4..

' bar, which thus prevents the leather from being torn or drawn out ot' shape; and in so cutting the opening in the boot-leg that a flap or piece of leather will be left, which can be interposed or turned up between the lower edge of the metallic plate or bar and the n ger, thus protecting the latter during the operation of drawing on the boot, the flap, if desired, be-v ing left oi' such size and shape as to entirely iill the opening in the bootleg, thus giving the boot a neater and more nished appearance when exposed for salethan if the aperture were left entirely Open.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In the said drawings, A represents the upper portion of a boot-leg, near the top of which on each side are two apertures, a, one on each side of the seam. These apertures, through which the :lingers are to be inserted to pull on the boot, arel formed by cutting through the leather in such a manner as to leave a piece or flap, b, which completely lls the aperture a when the nger is removed therefrom. On the from being torn around the openings, over which theyare placed or drawn out ot' shape in pulling on the boot. If the metal of which the plate B is formed is of sufficient thickness it need not be turned up, the lower edge being merely rounded, as seen in Fig. 5.

When the finger is introduced through the opening a, the ila-p or piece b is turned up thereby, as seen in Fig. 4, so that it is interposed between the edge of the plate B andthe linger, which is thus prevented from coming into direct contact therewith, and being hurt thereby in pulling on the boot.

It' desired, the nap-piece `may be of suiiicient size only to allow of its being turned up to protect the finger from being hurt by the edge of the plate. I prefer, however, to employ it as shown, as it gives the boot-leg a more finished appearance, in addition4 to the advantage of protecting the finger in drawing on the boot.

Instead of two openings, a., one on each side of the seam, a single aperture only on each side of the boot-leg may be used, if preferred.

The above-described device is simple and re-4 liable, the metallic plates B being strong and durable, while they can be furnished at less cost than the cheapest boot-straps.

The opening a with its flap b, in combina tion with the metallic plate or bar B secured over the opening, substantially as and for the purpose described;

Witness my hand this 27th day of September, A. D. 1878.

ELISHA L. WALES.

In presence of JOHN M. GERRY, GEO. STRONG. 

